There are many things that we link to the frontage of Manila: a whistling train crossing through Magallanes, the beauty of the Luneta, and the chugging of jeepneys through our city streets. We have all viewed jeepneys to be a strong symbol of Filipino resourcefulness; however, while we may view them to be but a regularity in our daily lives, they tow more than just customers. Jeepneys carry 80 years' worth of history, and most importantly, the blood, sweat, and tears of an estimated 600,000 drivers spread out across our entire archipelago.
But that may change, as its value as an art form and the financial stability of its drivers is at risk. It came through the shocking announcement of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s administration: jeepneys were to be phased out in favor of new minibusses under a new Public Utility Vehicle Modernization Program (PUVMP). For many drivers, this came as a surprise–Marcos had famously used jeepneys during his election campaign. Citing environmental concerns and the need for public transport modernization, the Marcos administration’s new movement was met with heavy criticism. Students have experienced the effects of transport strikes as jeepney unions have repeatedly called for the abolition of this new program, but what does this entail?
The PUVMP, according to the Department of Transportation (DOTr), is the Marcos administration’s response to address the infamous public transport issues and increasing public transportation demands of the country. It aims to elevate the Philippines' public transport system to the global standard by replacing jeepneys with minibusses. However, it is clear that the PUVMP will lead to a massive cultural and economic change that puts the livelihood of jeepney drivers in danger and will lead us to lose an important part of our identity as Filipinos.
From the government’s perspective, both economic, congestion, and environmental reasons have contributed to the need for modernization. The need to elevate the Philippines’ infamously inefficient public transportation system is unquestionable, with congestion being a pressing problem everyone in cities has fallen victim to. However, the traffic problem is multifaceted: insufficient road infrastructure, rapid population growth, and congestion due to poor urban planning have all contributed to the traffic problem. It is impossible to expect that simply phasing out jeepneys will lead to sizable improvements. Worse, the new PUVs will not be renewable-energy-based, as the country does not possess enough capacity to support such.
Again, we must be reminded that jeepneys are recognizable not just because they carry immense historical value, but also because they display Filipino creativity. Modeled after American colonial-era jitneys, they carry a story of Filipino ingenuity in taking a colonial asset and transforming it into something wholly Filipino. It is not uncommon to see jeepneys painted in all the colors of the rainbow, featuring motifs as diverse as religious renditions, patriotic imagery, or pop culture icons. Each jeepney is a reflection of its owner, and each can be considered to be more of a work of art rather than a simple mode of transportation.
It is undeniable that the jeepney phaseout should be treated with respect and concern; the jeepneys’ value must be preserved, as it carries more than the simple purpose of being a mode of transportation. Everything from the chassis to the varied designs that reflect the personal beliefs and artistic flair of their owners carries a story that must be told and protected. To replace them with uniform minibusses would be cultural suicide. The jeepney has become a symbol of Filipino pride, and should not be let go of so easily.
If change is unstoppable, we may look at the phaseout from a purely economic point of view. According to DOTr, financial aid will be provided to the jeepney drivers, who are required to buy the units themselves. The drivers will be forced to shell out ₱3.3 million to purchase government-offered buses, with financial aid only amounting to ₱260,000, a number that was raised from the initially proposed ₱160,000. For comparison, the average public utility jeepney driver makes ₱300-₱400 a day due to rising fuel prices, making it near-impossible for them to afford the new units.
Additionally, jeepney drivers do not own the unit directly, as the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board outlined that the drivers consolidate into cooperatives. Therefore, entailing that they will not own the expensive units they are forced to purchase with their already shrinking income. While DOTr states that driver’s wages will increase as a result of the implementation of the PUVMP, it is clear that the ones who will shoulder the financial burden of their project will be the drivers themselves. The deadline for consolidation for traditional jeepneys already elapsed on December 31 last year, and January 31 of this year was set to be the final date for them on the road, but this has been recently extended until April 30.
The PUVMP has admirable goals, but is poor in execution and deprives us of an important element of Filipino culture. It puts the livelihood of countless drivers at risk, while giving negligible improvements to the pressing issues it hopes to solve. If we are to solve the problems that we are faced with, we must choose to innovate and find an equitable solution for all – and it is evident the jeepney phaseout is not the answer. The general public should stand for culture, stand for the economy, stand for the jeepney drivers who make our daily commute possible, and most importantly, stand against the jeepney phaseout.
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